The present invention relates to a method for planting out of plants, wherein pieces of substrate located into other pieces of substrate and each comprising a germinated plant are relocated relative to each other.
Such a method is generally known.
If this known method is executed manually, it is a labour-intensive and thus costly process. In the past trials have been executed to mechanize the planting out of plants.
Apparatuses for planting out of plants known hitherto had the disadvantage that the plants to be planted out where grasped with their pieces of substrate and were then moved from a small container to a large container. When they were grasped, the plants were often damaged as the pieces of substrate where grasped from above.
Another disadvantage of this known apparatus for planting out is that, through the combination of the grasping of the pieces of substrate, the lifting of the pieces of substrate and the execution of a horizontal movement and a downward movement into a larger container, a complicated execution develops which cannot be executed fast. Further, it is remarked that for an economical use it is of utmost importance that the apparatus for planting out works fast, as great numbers of plants have to be planted out.
One aim of the present invention is the providing of a method and an apparatus for planting out wherein the plants to be planted out are not damaged.
Another aim of the present invention is the providing of a method and an apparatus for the planting out of plants, which allows fast processing.
Both aims are reached by a method and an apparatus for the planting out of plants, in which strips on which compartments are located with open walls perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the strip are used for containers of the pieces of substrate, and wherein the pieces of substrate are pushed out of the compartments by a pushing movement which extends perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the strips.
Subsequently the present invention will be elucidated with the help of the accompanying drawings.